Theloneyoni1

weird

Congratulations! Sounds like you did the ground work and you were ready! Thank you for tips - I'm in my last semester and really appreciate hearing what worked for you. Congrats!

From Kevin MD For hospitals to thrive, they need to value nurses

Charting in a non-nurse friendly computer system, looking for stuff, multiple phone calls for one thing. Basically, anything that is a time suck. These are the most aggravating parts of my day. There's no amount of planning that can compensate for continuous roadblocks.

Keep asking questions. We all do not grasp everything simply by reading the research. That's why we need people who can teach. Glad that you got the answer that you needed.... Here's a link - I love this website for breaking down complex issues Normal Anion Gap Metabolic Acidosis

I have given this subject some thought (as I am sure most of you have). One realization that I had was that as a person, I was a terrible negotiator. As a matter of fact, I would take what the HR person was offering. I remember being sooooo grateful to be hired into my first job. I just said, yes! of course! when can I start! After some time and experience, I realized that the longer I stayed where I was, the slower my income would increase. Fast-forward - I now have experience, I've grown up as a person (OK, not totally), I have a better understanding of how the corporate hospital model works and I know my own worth. Now, I know that (if one works in a non-union state for a corporate or even remotely competitive hospital) HR has a chart. They've mined the data, seen what everyone else in the area in paying and picked a range of numbers. Usually, this is tied to years of experience. Now when they give me the number, I push the wiggle room that I know they've built into their offer. I think it's a potentially volatile generalization but I'll put it out there; women (in general) don't negotiate - men do.

@Pheebz777 That's my point. But - I want it to be an actual policy so I am trolling for info....

Could you share a copy of the policy with me? - removing anything that would indicate that it's from your hospital. This would really help me with the leverage I need to get this made a policy. Thanks for replying K

Is there a teaching hospital nearby? In my experience, they are more receptive to nurses who plan to stay for 1-3 years. Also, I have seen a definite culture change in critical care - by that I mean that there is a mix of nurses. Those looking to upgrade their skill set and knowledge in preparation for graduate studies and those who make their career there.

I am looking for some EBP on having more than 1 PIV (2) for patients in the critical care setting. I've searched around and have yet to come up with anything. I am gathering evidence for a policy we hope to implement in our unit. Thanks in advance, K

I am in the program now and I began the summer of '15. All in all, it's OK. I've been disappointed in the quality and caliber of material, especially in patho and pharmacology - two of the classes I thought I'd love most. I was accepted at TT as well but chose UTHSC due to its location in the medical center (it's my version of Disney World). I also chose UTHSC because they set up all my clinical sites. As a mom of 3 who has to work full-time, this made their program seem less complicated. Good luck to you!

Yes! And, I highly recommend it. I was having a difficult time deciding whether I was going to do FNP or ACNP. I shadowed a one NP in clinic at the hospital (She is a primary care NP) and I shadowed an acute care NP who worked for the same physician. Seeing how their days played out and how they practiced really helped to solidify my decision to go the acute care track. Good luck!

I completed my BSN online through University of Texas at Arlington - it was a grueling (mind numbing, for me) process that I found more difficult than my ADN. This was related directly to the subject matter: nursing leadership, research, health assessment, community health, etc. I was an LVN prior to becoming and RN, so the ADN program I was in was really an upgrade on information I had from previous education and experience. What I gained from my experience in my BSN program has not directly impacted my practice, what it did do was allow me to appreciate my own drive and tenacity - that I could get through anything. And, I could do it well. I went into my BSN program with the solid intent of using it as a springboard for my masters. Well, yesterday I was accepted into the ACNP program that was my first pick. So, for me - it provided what I needed to continue with my educational goals. As a full-time ER/Trauma nurse with 3 sons, it also provided me with the flexibility I needed to maintain some semblance of work-life balance. Good luck to you in all your endeavors. K

Thanks for posting this! This is extremely helpful.